Malayalam actor Mohanlal on Saturday, August 31, claimed that he is neither a part of any power group, or is not aware of the power group mentioned in the Hema Committee report.
He further said it’s painful to see the Malayalam industry being tarnished everywhere due to the current scenario.
During an interaction with media in Thiruvananthapuram as part of an event of Kerala Cricket League, the veteran actor said that he wasn’t hiding anywhere. Elaborating on this, he said that was travelling in Gujarat, Mumbai and Chennai as part of personal commitments and shooting.
It was for the first time that Mohanlal, former president of the Association for Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), was addressing the media following the release of the expert panel report which shed light on the alleged harassment and exploitation of women professionals in the Malayalam film industry.
The actor had resigned from his post as president of the AMMA along with other members, amid sexual assault cases against top office bearers Siddique, Baburaj and other actors such as Baburaj, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju and Jayasurya.
‘Everyone answerable, not only AMMA’
Welcoming the Hema Committee report, Mohanlal said that as an actor and producer, he was also in front of the Hema Committee. However, Mohanlal said he has not yet seen the Hema Committee report.
He said Malayalam cinema is a huge industry where thousands of people work and the actors’s association AMMA could not address issues that cropped up there.
Defending AMMA, Mohanlal said, it is a trade union formed as part of a charity for co-actors.
Further claiming that everyone in Malayalam cinema must answer, Mohanlal who has been the AMMA president for the past two tenures, said, “AMMA is being criticised every time. It is not the only association which has to answer the questions.”
Stating that he and his contemporaries have worked hard to build the Malayalam industry, Mohanlal urged the people to not destroy the industry. “Please don’t focus only on Malayalam cinema. There is a government, a police force who will take care of the accused. I can’t answer all the questions. Please don’t destroy the industry,” he said.
“Wrongdoers should be punished if there is evidence against them,” the actor said while referring to the allegations of sexual misconduct and assaults that surfaced against some of the members of the Association.
“Cinema is only a slice of the society,” Mohanlal said, adding that he is not justifying what happened.
Referring to the AMMA members, the former president said, “The members are shattered.”
Responding to the criticism for the resignations, Mohanlal said, “Within AMMA there are a lot of differences, many are criticising the decision. I welcome them to lead AMMA. We are neither running away nor hiding the truth.”
‘Focus on the betterment of industry’
Applauding the government for taking the initiative, Mohanlal said that many possibilities are suggested in the Hema Committee report, “Let’s work on how the industry can move forward,” the actor said.
A defiant Mohanlal reiterated, “There are more than 21 associations in Malayalam cinema and everyone should respond to this and hold responsibility. There should be an association for junior artists too.”
He further urged the media and people to help the industry, which is in crisis, adding that, he is speaking rather as a member of the industry than the president of AMMA, “Malayalam films have a good future, these issues won’t destroy the industry.”
Asked about the WCC’s criticism of the dissolution of AMMA, Mohanlal said, “Leave WCC and AMMA, focus on the entire industry.”
The allegations against actors, and the AMMA members came after the Hema Committee report was published, Apparently, the AMMA leadership planned to hold a meeting to discuss the sexual abuse allegations against the then-general secretary Siddique. However, as more allegations against the members came to light, the organisation’s members resigned.
The Hema Commission report on the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry was made public on 19 August, five years after it was submitted to the Kerala government.
The publication of the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry has opened a can of worms with several female actors stepping forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their various male counterparts.
The Kerala government constituted the Justice Hema Committee after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.
This article first appeared on South First and was republished with permission.
